


Three Sizes, That day

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Dad!Jason AU [14]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 06:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5857204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He didn’t know what was more surprising - that Jason had returned from the grave, or that he’d returned from the grave with a baby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Sizes, That day

**Author's Note:**

> Jason doesn’t own a gun, he just said that to get Dick off his case. Damian’s maybe almost 18months here. Damian finds the Nightwing mask, and puts it on his own face, and Dick almost cries because it’s the cutest thing he’s ever fucking seen. Reminder to everyone that if you really like this au, to go fall on your knees and thank @nevolition because this whole mess is literally all his fault.

The world didn't exist, in that moment. It wasn't a decision he made, or an emotion he felt. It was a fact, that day.

The day he saw Jason Todd. The day he saw his brother, the one who'd been killed five years earlier, crossing the street and ducking into a bookstore.

And it wasn't the mistake of a double take, because the second he laid eyes on him, he couldn't look away. Too deep in his grief still, immediately drowning in his guilt and sorrow.

Besides, there was no one else who could have those cheekbones. Those sharp, bright eyes - they looked green from back here, had they always been green? - and the ability to look so damn _smug_.

"Jason...?"

No, that was Jason Todd, as Dick himself lived and breathed.

People jostled him, ran into his shoulders and cursed. A few cars even honked at him, as he just stood there, gaping. But they didn't exist. They weren't _real_.

Not like Jason Todd apparently was.

And it took a minute for him to get back to his senses. To clamp his teeth together and shake his head.

Without warning he darted across the street, in front of moving traffic, no less, and dove into that bookstore.

It was small, and when he looked around and didn't find who he wanted, he asked the clerk, described Jason as best he could, given the limited time and distance.

A bit tanned, dark curls and - god, was this real? - big, broad shoulders.

(Not scrawny, and lanky, with baby fat still clinging to his cheeks.)

A man. An adult man who apparently had the chance to grow up.

(In the back of his mind, he felt that pang of doubt. Did Jason really die? Had Bruce lied? Did Bruce _know?_ )

The clerk smiled and pointed to the other door, in the opposite corner of the shop, claiming the man had just been in to pick up an order - some baby books and a few books popular amongst the toddler demographic - but had to leave quickly, as he was running late.

Dick thanked them and sprinted towards the door.

Jason was long gone.

~~

He didn't tell Bruce, or anyone else, who he saw. He wanted to find him first. Hold him first.

Apologize, _first_.

Instead, he searched. Day and night. Used every resource he had, both as Nightwing and as Officer Grayson.

But there was nothing.

Because apparently, according to the world, Jason Todd didn't exist any more. That was their story and they were sticking to it.

So he searched where Jason was from. The dredges of Gotham. The back alleyways, the food banks, the shelters. _Crime Alley._

Nothing.

It was weeks of this. Of searching and _re_ searching. Of even less sleep than usual, and any he got riddled with night terrors.

And, of course, when he was just about to take a break, take a few days or weeks off. It was when he was just about to _quit_ that he found him again.

In the least likely place imaginable.

He was in Gotham's suburbs - _barely_ in Gotham's suburbs, barely in what most people called 'the nice side of Gotham', 'the _safe_ side' - for a case. The investigation had finally finished, they'd gotten their man, and as a congratulations from the chief, he and his partners had been given the rest of the day off.

So, it was an obvious choice. Get to the nearest grocery store and buy as much junk food as possible to celebrate.

He'd just grabbed some ice cream. Swung through another aisle for some cookies and a six-pack of the crappiest beer he could imagine, was heading for a register, when he caught a glimpse.

And he didn't even make out any features, just sensed that A) there was another human there and B) they were male.

But then he could feel it in his gut. A gnawing, or something.

It was habit, when he glanced over. Just taking in his surroundings.

But then he saw the leather jacket. The faded jeans and the working boots. He saw those green eyes and dark curls-

_He saw Jason._

...

_In the diaper aisle._

And he was so _focused_. Finger against his lips as he stared between two brands. It looked like the outside world didn't exist to him either. Just him, the half-full cart beside him and the Huggies and Pampers on the shelf.

Dick's heart began to beat faster, pump harder. That sorrow and grief and guilt all swirled between his ribs, even as his mind floundered and he moved against his will. Turned on his heel and stepped into the aisle.

It was a whisper. A croak. Barely a _breath_.

"Jason...?"

Jason glanced up distractedly, before his eyes widened and his hand dropped from his face. Almost immediately, his eyebrows furrowed, green orbs darting across Dick's body.

"Dick?"

There was a relief in that recognition, though Dick didn’t know why. Didn’t know why it made his heart flutter beneath his ribs. Why it made tears come to his eyes. Because it’s not like he and Jason were close, back then, or even very friendly.

But Jason was alive, and he doesn’t know if he’d ever been happier.

And Jason was still speaking. He didn’t know what he was saying, or about to ask, but he didn’t care. Placed his stuff on the floor and rushed forward. Took Jason into his arms, with the threat of never letting go.

“You’re alive.” He stated, heard Jason scoff, sensed he rolled his eyes. He didn’t let up, though. “You’re _alive_.”

“Yeah, that’s been, uh. Well. A thing. For a while.” Jason chuckled nervously, even as Dick released him, held his shoulders. Jason looked… _good_. Tired, haunted, but good. Still that sprinkling of freckles, those dark eyebrows. His baby fat was gone, and he’d shot up like a tree. There was a wisp in his hair, a little curl of white, right in the center of his forehead, and Dick wondered where that came from. Made a mental note to ask later. He looked good, _handsome_ even, said the little voice in the back of his head.

But more than that, he looked content. Tired, haunted, a bit tense, but _happy_. Like he was in a good place. Like he had a _purpose_.

And it was like a light bulb went off, and Dick remembered where they were standing.

“What, uh…” Jason’s nervousness was there, and his eyes couldn’t hold Dick’s gaze. Darted around, almost like he was looking for an escape. “How…how are you?”

“Better now.” Dick smiled. Squeezed Jason’s shoulders. Couldn’t wait to hear all about Jason’s life. What happened, how he was back. Couldn’t wait to take him home. Couldn’t wait to have his whole family back together. “I just. I can’t believe-” He gasped, breathed a chuckle, shook his head. But then the smile waned a little bit, as he glanced back at the wall of diapers. At Jason’s cart. “It’s… How are _you?_ ”

Jason frowned, sensing something in Dick’s tone. “Meaning?”

“Meaning…” Dick motioned to the cart, at the jars of baby foods and finger snacks. Breathed another laugh. “How _long_ have you been back? Your cart is full of…I mean, you got something you want to tell me?”

Jason immediately tensed further, eyes dark and ferocious. “No.” He declared. “It’s…for work.”

…Huh.

“Work?” Dick tried. And there was more knowledge than suspicion. He didn’t _think_ Jason was lying, he already _knew_. “Where do you work?”

“It doesn’t matter.” And Dick knew this. Had seen Jason do it a thousand times before. Shut down completely. Retreat, mentally and physically, until he was holed up in the corner somewhere, alone. And Dick had vowed, on Jason’s grave itself, that if he ever got a second chance, if he ever was lucky enough to get Jason back, in any form, that things would be different. That he’d protect him this time, take care of him.

 _Love_ him.

“Look, Dick. It was nice seeing you and all, but…” Jason pulled out his phone like it was suddenly ringing, even though the screen was blank. Jason hit a button though, to play at the charade, and Dick saw the flash of a picture. Two faces. One Jason’s, the other…small. Tan. Dark hair. “I-I gotta get going.”

Dick stepped forward. “Jay…”

“We need to catch up, for sure. You know, it’s been a while. A couple years. A resurrection or two.” Jason reassured, hinted, that nervous smile darting on and off his lips. “And I…really. I’d _love_ to catch up. Maybe see Babs-”

“There’s more than Babs these days.” Dick interjected. “There’s Timmy and Cass and Ste-”

“- _But_ I’m just really busy right now.” Jason finished. “So, can we raincheck it?”

Dick paused. Watched as Jason turned back towards the cart, looked at a list of some sort, then reached out and grabbed a pack of diapers, tossing it lightly into his basket. “…Jay?”

Jason hummed in acknowledgement, eyes – they were definitely green now, and Dick knew they didn’t used to be – still scanning the list.

“…Are you okay?” Dick asked softly. Jason seemed off-put by the question, and glanced up in confusion. “Are you in trouble?”

Jason snorted, let his face melt a little. “Nah. I’m alright.”

“Do you…need help?” Dick pressed.

“No, we’re pretty good actually.” Jason’s eyes widened at his slip, and it was all the confirmation Dick needed, even as Jason clarified. “ _I’m_ pretty good, I mean.” A laugh, meant to be natural. Would be to anyone else. To Dick, it was forced. “Sorry, I got a fish recently. He’s the only company I’ve got most days. I forget he’s not, you know, an _actual_ roommate.”

Dick stepped forward again. Reached out this time, because this was not how this was supposed to go. This was not how being reunited with his lost successor was supposed to go. “Jason-”

“Look, Dickie, it was nice seeing you. _Real_ nice, actually. But really, I’ve gotta go. We’ll catch up soon, okay?” And without waiting for a response, Jason turned away, practically ran down the aisle. “I’ll see you around!”

Dick jerked forward again, but stopped there, listened as the cart rushed down to the other side of the store.

Sighed.

He walked back to his own groceries. Picked up the ice cream and cookies and beer, and wondered what to do. Should he call Bruce? No. No that wouldn’t do. There was something…not _wrong_ , but there was _something_ , with Jason. Something Dick needed to figure out first, before he let his too-serious, too-intense father in on it. After all, if Jason wanted Bruce to know he was around, he would have… _called_ right? Or shown up at the manor? Or on patrol?

If he wanted any of them to know that he was around, that he was _back_ , he wouldn’t have let their first meeting be accidental, or in a grocery store.

In the _diaper aisle._

Dick shook his head as he stepped out into the main corridor. Looked over just in time to see Jason ringing out. Hooking the filled bags onto his arms, smiling at the cashier as she handed back what looked like a tiny pink bunny that had bounced out of Jason’s jacket pocket.

And he couldn’t help but stare. As Jason paid, as he walked towards the door. And he wondered if Jason knew he was watching. If he could feel Dick’s eyes and were ignoring them to the best of his ability.

Because it didn’t matter what Jason said. It didn’t matter what lies Jason spouted, or how good he was at the deception. Dick didn’t believe a word of it. And he didn’t know much right now, mind still reeling from the fact that Jason was alive, and that was still so hard to comprehend right now, but that was just one of the three things he knew.

One, being that, that Jason was alive. Alive and well and _back_ and _in Gotham._

Two, Jason had a baby. Dick didn’t know how, didn’t know who. Was it a biological accident? Was it a last case scenario? Was it for some sort of case, to protect the child from some evil coming after it? None of that mattered. All that mattered was the blatant fact that _Jason had a baby_.

And three, probably the most important fact of all, was that Dick wanted to meet it. He wanted to find that baby, see this child and, most importantly, he wanted to meet it.

Heart already tugging, more than anything, he wanted to meet it.

~~

It wasn’t hard to get a lead on Jason now. Dick just used the Batcomputer, and the cell phone Jason had made a show of using. He triangulated all the phones that were in the grocery store at the time and, using blueprints and store layouts, located the aisle they’d been standing in.

Simple enough, even if it took a few hours.

Once he found the number, he put a tracker on it, followed it on the maps and GPS. Pinpointed the spots Jason spent the most time at, three areas, it seemed, and went to investigate them himself.

One was a garage, and Dick remembered fondly how into cars Jason was as a youngster. He bet this was the job, how Jason made a living, and laughed because it made Jason’s previous lie even worse. Unless it was a garage for toddlers, which Dick was pretty sure was _not_ a thing.

He saw Jason there once. An accident of scheduling, and Dick was just grateful he was in his squad car, could hide under his police cap. Watched Jason walk in, get welcomed warmly by a loud, large man, and smile as he shrugged that leather jacket off, pulled on some work gloves and dove gleefully under a car.

The second was an apartment building. Still in that same decent side of town. Pretty good security, it seemed, and Jason had a flat on the fourth of six floors, if the same light turning on every time he came home from the garage was any indication. Dick avoided climbing the fire escape, staring into windows. Jason would surely see him then, and he had a feeling Jason wouldn’t take well to a vigilante staring through the glass. Especially while he had a baby in the house.

(Besides, he hoped to be invited into that apartment one day. Hopefully.)

Really, he just wanted to make sure it was safe. For both Jason and this mystery baby.

The third place was the most telling. A daycare center. Close to that bookstore Dick had originally spotted Jason going into. It was cute, and homey. With flowerbeds and what looked like a little garden that some of the children seemed to enjoy digging in. There was a swing set, sandbox, blacktop, the works. Anything a kid could ever want on a playground, and that was only what Dick could see from the outside. He could only imagine what the classrooms inside were like.

And it was an accident. Really, it was. It was only his second day of scoping the place out. He wasn’t even looking for the child. Just like the apartment, he was just making sure it was safe.

He was standing at the bookstore, looking through some sale boxes they had sitting outside. Just looking up periodically, really, truly, because he was actually finding some titles he wanted to check out. Had missed doing mundane things like this, was finding a joy in gathering a stack of books in his arms.

It was just one of the times he looked up. Caught sight of that white curl and green eyes.

And a baby.

The baby from the cell phone, for sure. Dick remembered that dark skin and darker hair. He couldn’t have been more than eighteen months, probably a little younger, still.

His cheeks were chubby and his eyes were blue. The brightest blue Dick thought he’d ever seen, and even from this distance, across and down the street, they seemed familiar. Like he’d seen them before.

The child was babbling, blowing raspberries and waving one hand out in front of them, while the other clutched at Jason’s collar. Suddenly he smiled. Giggled so loudly Dick could hear him as he swiveled his head upwards, and stared up at Jason like Jason was his _whole world._

And Dick couldn’t help but gasp. Because he was _beautiful_.

That’s probably what got him in trouble, in the end. He was just _staring_ at the kid, and Jason just so happened to look his direction before they crossed the street.

They locked gazes, and both froze.

And then Jason scowled. His eyes narrowed and he looked almost furious. And it was instinct that had Dick dropping the books, and running down the lane after them.

“Jason!” The man didn’t turn, but the child did. Peeked over Jason’s shoulder like it was his name called.

_Was his name Jason Jr.?_

“Jason, wait!” Dick called, glancing down the street and running across it. He sprinted to catch Jason, ducked around his arm and held his hands out in peace. “Please, just wait-”

“Are you following me?” Jason demanded, twisting to shield the baby with his shoulder. It would have been impressive, if the lavender diaper bag on the other shoulder didn’t swing dramatically between them. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Making sure you’re okay.” Dick swore, and it wasn’t a complete lie. A half-truth, if anything. “Making sure you didn’t need any help. That where you were living and going was safe, for you and the kid.”

“I told you I didn’t have a kid.” Jason shot back, and it was a bit of a lame comeback. Dick knew it was just a kneejerk reaction, of course, and didn’t hold it against him.

“Really? You didn’t think I’d see right through that lie?” Dick countered. He glanced at the baby, who was watching them with blank, calculating eyes. He looked almost like Bruce, if Bruce were a cute little baby. “You were in the diaper aisle for God’s sake, Jay.”

Jason bit his lip, swung the diaper bag back around his shoulder, hiked the child higher up his hip.

“You said we’d catch up.” Dick reminded, lowering his hands, just a little. Smiled at the infant as he cocked his head in curiosity. “It’s been almost two weeks. I think it’s time we caught up.”

The baby cooed, suddenly, balling his tiny hand into a fist and shaking it wildly between them, distracting Jason for a second.

But just a second.

“What happened, Jason?” Dick whispered, as Jason took hold of that little fist and brought it back in. “Who’s this bab-”

“Leave us alone.” Jason suddenly ordered, backing up a step.

Dick followed the motion. “Jason-”

Jason kept moving. “I said leave us the hell alone, Dick. I don’t need your help, and I don’t want your damn _pity_.” He shook his head, glanced at the child as he smoothed his hair back. “I knew we shouldn’t have come to Gotham, baby.”

Dick was almost offended. “Jason-”

“I have a gun.” Jason snapped suddenly. He glanced around, though, noticed they were starting to make a scene, made his next words a harsh whisper. “And I _will shoot you_ if you get near us again.”

And, just like the grocery store, Jason dashed away before Dick could say another word.

The baby watched him over Jason’s shoulder the whole way down the block, until they turned the corner.

~~

If anyone asked, Dick Grayson would say his biggest flaw was his stubbornness, and his inability to give up. And if there was one thing Dick never gave up on, it was family.

Jason was family. Even if neither would admit it, even if neither really acted on it. They were family. They loved each other.

So, by extension, that made this baby, no matter his relation to Jason, family too.

Despite Jason’s threat, Dick followed him. Only as Nightwing now, and when his patrols were boring. He’d find himself on this side of town, sit on the building next to the apartment complex, and just listen. Sometimes watch.

He could only see two rooms, one that seemed to be Jason’s, and the other that appeared to be some sort of family room, which melted directly into a kitchen. There was a window between these two rooms, but the blinds were drawn, and after already invading enough privacy, Dick didn’t bother trying to look through them.

Every night was more or less the same. There was a routine in this home, though barely. Jason would read or sit on his laptop, while the baby played on his own, calling to him periodically. Then Jason would scoop the baby up, pepper his face with kisses while he situated him in the high chair and began to cook dinner. Then they’d eat, and then they’d return to playing, Jason included this time.

Not long after, the two would disappear, into the room with the blinds, for about an hour. And whenever anyone immerged after that time, it was always Jason, and he was alone.

Sometimes he’d clean, fix up the playroom or wash some dishes. Sometimes he’d disappear again, come back into view looking incredibly refreshed, dressed in nothing but a towel. Other times he’d just go into his room and flop down on the mattress. Lie there in the day’s clothes and just fall asleep.

Dick had no qualms about whether Jason knew he was watching the apartment. Because Jason never looked out the window at him, but the baby would. Sometimes the baby would stumble over, slap his hands against the glass of the window and shout, sometimes loud enough for Dick to hear. He’d look back at Jason, slapping insistently, urgently.

Jason would just ignore him. Say something that might distract him, or just blatantly pick the child up from the window and go somewhere else. In doing that, sometimes he’d flash a middle finger, or make a gesture.

But that was only sometimes. Most of the time the two inside would ignore him completely. Because if the baby didn’t notice him, then Jason would pretend he didn’t either.

Dick didn’t mind, though. Liked watching the two interact. Jason was always good with kids, he knew, and it was nice to see him expand on that skill. It was also nice to see Jason so _happy_ , and know that it was this child that made him so.

And oh, how he wanted to meet him. How he wanted to hold that child, and play with him. To secretly thank him for bringing Jason back to Gotham – because somehow, he knew that was the case. Didn’t know how, or why, but he knew. He just knew.

Without this baby, Jason might still be lost. To him, to everyone. Maybe even to the world.

But he knew Jason’s threat was credible, probably, so kept his distance.

Until one night.

It was warm, and breezy. The sky was clear, and Dick was watching the stars, listening through the window that Jason had opened before dinner. He heard the child giggle throughout the night. Shout and call and babble a narration of whatever game he had Jason play. He heard Jason respond sweetly, smack kiss after kiss on that baby’s face and even mention, multiple times, how much he loved him.

He even heard the baby try to respond, on every occasion.

A heavy huff, then, “Lo’ yew.”

So it was a surprise, and Dick wondered if it was surprising to Jason too, when, in a later, quieter moment, there was suddenly a sigh. An incredulous laugh, the shuffling of feet and then a soft, gentle:

“…Hey.”

Dick glanced own from his perch, found Jason leaning out the window, an almost fond exasperation playing with the corners of his lips. Dick returned the smile.

“Hey.”

“You’re not gonna leave, are you?” Jason asked, simply. Dick shook his head. Jason laughed again. “You’re such a stubborn asshole.”

“I’ve been called worse.” Dick laughed too. Frowned almost immediately afterwards, though. “I just want to know what’s going on, Jason. I just want to _talk_ to you.”

“Why?”

 _“Why?”_ Dick repeated in disbelief, swinging his legs over the side. “Because I _missed_ you. Why else!”

“…You did?” And Jason seemed honestly… _shocked_.

“We _all_ did.” Dick confirmed. “And I haven’t told anyone you’re here yet, because…because…I don’t know, because I’m selfish and greedy and, to be honest, a little suspicious because you were _dead_ , Jason. Dead and gone and…and now you’re back and great and _with a baby_.”

Jason just blinked, let a slow grin wash across his face.

“…You’re a mess, ain’tcha, Dickie?” Jason chuckled, paused for a second and glanced behind him at the sound of a baby monitor. He suddenly sighed again, pushed back from the windowsill. “Well. Come on, then. Get your bouncy spandex ass in here.” A hesitation as he backed up. “Before I change my mind.”

Dick didn’t think twice about doing just that.

He jumped quietly onto the fire escape, watching Jason the whole time he crawled through the windowsill. Jason’s threat from a few weeks earlier was still in his mind, and he stopped himself before he habitually shut the window behind him.

Jason was already back in the kitchen, placing some dishes in the sink. Tidying up, like Dick was company, _real_ company. A friend who just stopped by for a beer. Dick tried not to watch him, tried not to be in almost complete awe, because he was still having a hard time believing that all his grief had practically been for nothing. That fate could be reversed, and he would have good luck for once.

Instead he glanced down at the coffee table at his knees. Stared at the little pink bunny sitting there. It was dirtier than he remembered.

Dick didn’t realize he had picked it up, until he heard Jason clear his throat.

“So…” Jason drawled. Dick looked up to see him walking back into the family room, a beer in hand. He flashed a smile, like he just heard some sort of inside joke, and asked. “What do I gotta tell you to get you out of my hair?”

“Everything.” Dick said automatically, squeezing the rabbit. “Anything.” He stopped, as he stepped around the table. “Jay. Jason. I just…Jesus, is this real? Are _you_ real?”

“As real as Mister Nibbles, there.” Jason motioned to the rabbit.

And Dick practically choked on the word. “…How?!”

Jason finally let that sleepy smile fall from his face. “The world’s a weird place, Dickie.”

“And as employees of Batman, no one knows that more than us.” Dick whispered, staring down at the rabbit. He heard a deep inhale from the baby monitor, a quiet murmur. “But Jay, that doesn’t explain what happened.”

“I died. I was tortured by the Joker and killed with a bomb.” Jason said simply, flopping down into an old armchair. Took a swing of his drink. “And then I was brought back.”

“By who?”

Jason hesitated. Pursed his lips. Glanced to the baby monitor. “…By Talia.”

Dick thought his heart might have stopped for a second.

“Talia?” He breathed.

“Yeah.” Jason flopped his head back. “Four or so years ago? Threw me in one of those nasty ponds her dad keeps around. Helped me get back on my feet after that.”

“But…she…we _saw_ …” Dick felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Because four years ago was a year after Jason had died. Because that meant Jason hadn’t been dead long, and none of them had any idea. Because it was Talia and she was dangerous, and who knew what she could have done to Jason. But most of all, perhaps, because- “We’ve _seen_ her since then. We’ve seen her since you died, we’ve _fought_ her. Hell, Jason, we’ve been to her _compound_. How could-”

“How could she not tell you? How could you not have seen?” Jason finished for him. He looked a little bitter as he turned away, stared down the dark hallway in the corner. Brushed his fingers through his bangs, across that white streak – and was that an affect of the Pit? “Trust me, man. She’s _good_ at keeping secrets.”

And Dick’s mind caught up faster than he wanted to.

Because Jason’s story was simple enough. Once upon a time he died, and then someone stole his body from his grave, threw it into a Lazarus Pit, and he woke up, the end. He could accept that easily enough, he’d seen it happen before. It wasn’t as unheard of as the religious liked people to believe. Not to mention, Ra’s al Ghul was a living testament to the waters’ power.

But he swallowed the lump in his throat, and dove right in to what the real mystery was. Because if this was Talia, if they were talking _Talia_...

Smart, beautiful, powerful…and manipulative, when she wanted to be.

“Jason, who is that baby.”

Jason glanced back from the hallway. Stared stoically up at the vigilante in his living room and asked in surprise: “What, you believe me?”

“About Talia?” Dick allowed, let Jason distract him for that second. “Of course. She has those powers at her disposal. It makes sense. Granted, I’ll be checking that out for myself, thank you very much, but…yeah. It makes sense. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.” A pause, repetition. “Jason, who is that baby.”

“And what,” Jason snapped. “That’s it? No ‘sorry for your pain and suffering, Jay’? No, ‘I’m sorry you died, Jay, I wish there was something I could do’? Not even a damn ‘I’m sorry I missed your fucking _funeral_.’? Because I know you did, Dick. I _know_ you didn’t show.”

“Then you know it’s because _Bruce didn’t tell me what happened_.” Dick countered. “Now, Jason. _Who is that baby_.”

“Oh, don’t ignore me like you always do.” Jason huffed, took another gulp of alcohol.

“Then don’t ignore me either.” Dick returned, gentler. He stopped, let Jason simmer as he stepped forward. “Jason. Who. Is. That. Baby.”

Jason hesitated, listened the melody of the mumbles from the monitor. “…Talia’s son.”

Dick’s chest tightened.

“Talia’s and who’s?”

“Look, does it matter wh-”

_“Talia and who’s?”_

_Talia and mine_ , is what Dick expected. What he feared. _That’s my son, Dickie. Surprise, you’re an honorary uncle._

No, he’s too young. Jason’s still a baby himself, he can’t- He shouldn’t _have_ to-

“Bruce’s.”

He was surprised to know Jason was alive. Near shocked to find out Jason was caring for a baby, an infant. But this? This bit of information near knocked him off his feet.

He could barely breathe. “B…Bruce’s?”

“Mhm.” Jason sighed, as if finally releasing that piece of information exhausted him. “He ever give you the sex talk? Because he gave it to me. And apparently didn’t follow his own advice.”

Dick’s mind was frozen. Broken practically. He couldn’t comprehend. Talia, a villain, and Bruce, the greatest man he’d ever known. Yes, sure, he knew they’d been a thing, once. Knew they’d slept together. But…this recently? Since Jason’s death?

They’d had sex, and then had a child. And then the same question from before: _Did Bruce know?_

“Talia said she never told him about it.” Jason answered the unasked. “Was going to raise the kid herself. Teach him the way of the al Ghuls.” He took another drink and leaned forward, plucked the rabbit out of Dick’s now-limp fingers. “She didn’t tell me about him either, and I was there. By the time I found out about him, Talia had already given the kid a _butcher_ _knife_ as a toy.”

“A…” Dick’s heart broke, as he tried to remember how to speak. How to think. “…knife?”

“When I asked her about it, she began ranting how she was going to train him to be perfect. An expert assassin like Ra’s’ League. The next Alexander, or some shit.” Jason sighed, shook his head, ran his hands tenderly across the stuffed bunny. “And I just…I don’t know. I was pissed at Bruce and…most of the time was indifferent towards Talia but…I don’t know, Dick. I just couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let her hurt her baby.”

He stopped. Remained silent, even as Dick lowered himself onto the end of the coffee table.

“And Bruce…fuck, he’d already replaced _me_. I could only imagine what he’d do to a kid that was actually his.” Jason closed his eyes, and Dick knew there was a deeper pain there than Jason was showing. Without thinking, he reached out, clasped his hands over Jason’s. Jason didn’t pull away. “So I…I don’t know. I didn’t plan well. And I still can’t believe she hasn’t come after me, but…I’d spent time with the kid. Talia let me one of his caretakers. I…I loved him before I knew it, and couldn’t let his parents or anyone hurt him, accidentally or otherwise. So I grabbed him in the middle of the night and ran away. Brought him here to Gotham to start over.”

“Oh, Jay…” Dick breathed. Because he didn’t doubt that story either. As much as Talia was powerful and smart, she was also misguided. As much as it pained him, he could see her doing these things, see her putting a child, _her_ child, through hell, with the belief it would make him better.

But it wasn’t her he was worried about right now.

“You did the right thing.” Dick admitted. “You saw a kid in trouble and you got him out. You’re a hero, Jason, just like you always have been.” He shifted forward, a little closer, tried to duck into Jason’s line of vision. “But you can’t do this on your own. Let me help you.”

“No.” Jason said immediately, trying to pull his hands back. Dick didn’t let him. “No, no way. Because your version of help is going to be to tell Bruce. Your version of help is going to be dragging me and him back to the manor and I don’t want to do th-”

“That’s not what I meant, but we won’t do that. Not if you don’t want to.” Dick promised immediately. And he didn’t know why, didn’t know why he was so eager to gain back Jason’s trust. Because really, that would be safest, getting Bruce involved. “I meant that I would stay with you. Babysit if you needed. Get you groceries, make you dinner. Lend you blankets, do your laundry…whatever.”

Jason glanced up at him. Kept his head bow but stared up through his lashes. The green was bright, the Lazarus green, as Dick knew now, but no less lovely. And Dick felt his heart leap at the thought. Because right now, not like it ever would, it didn’t matter how he got Jason back. It was just that he did, that Jason was a real weight in his hands.

“…Why?” Jason asked, voice quiet and almost wrecked. And Dick knew, from research, from experience, that the Lazarus Pit was wrong. It was bad. Had side effects he wouldn’t wish on anyone. And thus far, he hadn’t much seen any of those effects with Jason, but he noticed Jason was quieter, more closed off. Maybe a little quicker to anger. And at first he thought it was because of the baby. Because of lack of sleep or stress or whatever.

But now he could see it again. Jason’s eyes were so haunted. And he wondered if it was because of the trauma of his death, or because of the madness of his rebirth. Or, maybe, if it was just a bad mixture of both.

It was probably both.

Dick smiled, though, at the question. Squeezed Jason’s hands and leaned forward. Pressed their foreheads together, and closed his eyes just as Jason did.

“Because I missed you, Little Wing.” Dick whispered. “I missed you more than anything.” Stop. “More than my parents, even.”

He felt Jason twitch.

“And I am sorry. I’m the most sorry person in the world, for missing your funeral. For not saving you in the first place. For not being there when you needed me.” Dick mumbled. “So let me make it up to you, Jay. Let me help you here. Let me…let me take _care_ of you here. Because I know now, and you don’t have to go through this alone.”

He didn’t know if Jason was going to answer, if he was mulling over some sort of response. Because a few seconds after Dick stopped speaking, the baby monitor crackled to life. And it was more than just dream noises this time. It was a full-on whine, falling quickly into a cry.

Jason pulled away instantly, leaned back to glance into the hallway. He waited a second, as the crying continued, then sighed. Let out that laugh similar to earlier, when he let Dick in.

“Well.” He hummed, looked back at Dick with a smile. “You said you wanted to meet him, right?”

Dick sat up straighter.

“Wait here.” Jason almost groaned, though it was playful, as he stood up and head towards the hall. He paused at the mouth of it, though, and glanced back. “Just lose the mask, ‘Wing. He won’t be scared, I don’t think, but he might freak a little bit. Besides, he’s too young to be able to leak your identity anyway.”

Dick chuckled as Jason disappeared, but did what he was told, and peeled the domino away. Dropped it onto the chair Jason had just been occupying.

He listened as Jason opened the door, and began speaking. High-pitched and sweet, and it had Dick grinning. He heard the baby respond shortly, grumpily, and a rattle of a crib.

And Dick held his breath, as he got a whiff of baby powder, and heard the crinkle of a diaper, the snap of a canister of baby wipes closing. He heard the little boy whine and babble, then Jason mock-grunt as he lifted the baby back up again.

He watched the hallway, as he heard Jason’s steps. Heard the baby gurgles get louder and closer.

Closer and closer and closer.

It was the longest ten seconds of his life.

But then, Jason appeared, face warm and calm. Wrapped tightly in his arms was a baby. _The_ baby. Same tanned skin, same dark hair – wild now, from sleeping. Same sharp blue eyes. His cheeks were rosy, and lips pursed, from his still lingering sleep.

Dick felt himself standing as he took in the cream-colored onesie, the little polka dot socks, and the chubby bare legs between them. Looked back up into the baby’s eyes to see him staring at him, a low, curious coo coming from his throat.

Jason was bouncing him gently, watching his reaction carefully. When the baby didn’t react badly, Jason slowed the bounce to a rock, lifted the baby further up his side.

“Dick,” He started softly, looking back at Dick with a smile. “I’d like you to meet Damian.”

“Damian…” Dick breathed, stepping forward. Not quickly, not even the whole way, but Damian seemed surprised by the motion anyway, leaned back against Jason’s shoulder and clutched at the collar of his t-shirt.

Jason’s words came back to him, though, and he couldn’t help but think, _those hands have already held weapons._

“Dames,” Jason continued, turning back towards the child. “This is Dick. Can you say ‘hi, Dick’?”

“Hi Di’.” The baby whispered, voice a mimicry of Jason’s. He released Jason’s shirt for a second, to give a quick, clumsy, shy wave. Dick took another step forward and Damian waved again. “Hi Didi.”

Dick’s heart leapt again. Leapt and did ten back flips.

“Hi, Damian.” Dick returned, holding his hand out. Not so much to shake, but for Damian to examine. Damian’s eyes dropped to his gloved fingers, and he was instantly mesmerized by the blue stripes. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Me’ yew.” Damian breathed, leaning away from Jason to grab Dick’s blue fingers. To tug them up, and bend them forwards and back. “ _Lo’_ yew.”

Dick practically swooned.

Jason, though, just laughed. “That’s his favorite thing to say. I don’t think he quite knows what it means yet.”

But Dick did. Dick did and he found himself already wanting to say it back.

Damian’s eyes suddenly shot up and past Dick’s arm. They widened desperately and he dropped Dick’s fingers, reached past him and _whined_.

“Oh, here we go.” Jason drawled, shifting one hand up to Damian’s chest as he leaned forward. “Damian-”

“Baba!” Damian screeched, twisting in Jason’s arms to stare up at him. He slapped at Jason’s chest before spinning back around, flexing his fingers in a grabbing motion. “Baba, Baba, Baba!”

“Ah, ah.” Jason chastised. “What did I tell you about tantrums?”

Damian pursed his lips further, apparently used to this sort of reaction. So he did the next best thing, he looked up at Dick with the saddest puppy dog eyes he’d ever seen.

“Di!” He begged. “Didi!”

Dick followed the line of the baby’s hand, turned to look back at the chair Jason had been sitting in, to see the pink bunny sitting on the chair’s arm.

“Didi!” Damian shouted louder, more demanding. “Didi, _peese_!”

Oh.

With no thought, Dick stepped back, leaned over and plucked the rabbit up. Came back and let Damian snatch it from his hands. He held it tightly to his chest, squeezed it in both arms and rocked excitedly back and forth, humming happily.

“Now what do we say, Damian?” Jason asked knowingly. Damian looked innocently up at him.

“Tan yew, Baba.” Damian recited from memory.

“Nope, not this time. It wasn’t Baba.” Jason clarified.

Damian looked flabbergasted. “No Baba?”

Jason pointed up to Dick.

Damian spun around, stared at him, then back at Jason.

“Di?” He questioned, copied Jason’s motion and pointed. “Didi?”

“Yes, Didi.” Jason smiled, went along with the name. “Say thank you to Dick.”

Damian twisted back around, stared at Dick blankly, then held both his arms out.

And it was habit from Roy’s Lian, that Dick reached out and lifted him. But still, he was short on breath when Jason let him, when he settled that little baby on his own hip and looked down at him.

“Say thank you to Didi.” Jason repeated, and Damian acted instantly. Still holding the rabbit, Damian wrapped his arms as far around Dick’s neck as he could. Nuzzled against Dick’s armor and hummed contently again.

“Tan yew, Didi.” Damian said, squeezing Dick’s neck. And then, without warning, as Dick was about to respond, Damian leaned up, placed a soft kiss on Dick’s jaw, and said, “Lo’ yew, Didi.”

In the corner of his misting eye, he saw Jason roll his, shake his head, but kept the smile. And Dick couldn’t help it, when he reached out to Jason, curled his arm around his neck and dragged the younger into his chest. Jason stumbled into it willingly enough, careful not to smash Damian’s leg between them.

And Dick was grateful, when Jason didn’t say anything. When he let Dick hold him, let Dick reel him in against his neck, despite his newfound, and now awkwardly hunched, height. Grateful that he didn’t say anything when Dick kissed Damian’s cheek, then leaned his forehead against Jason’s.

(Grateful when this affection wasn’t unwanted, and he felt Jason loosely wrap an arm around his hips.)

He turned slowly, then. Crossed that line he was a little nervous to. Pressed his lips gently to Jason’s cheek, remained, even when he felt Jason inhale sharply beneath him. Closed his eyes, and tried to steady his own breath, his own voice, even as he admitted, “…I missed you so much, Jason.”

“Yeah.” Jason croaked, and he felt the younger’s fingers digging into his uniform. Felt his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed. “…Yeah.”

Dick was content in the silence, and sensed Jason was too, but it didn’t last long. Damian suddenly waved the rabbit in front of both of their faces, reiterating loudly as he kicked his socked feet. _“Lo’ yew, Didi!”_

And it wasn’t a lie, Dick found, when he moved away from Jason to leave Eskimo kisses against Damian’s nose and whispered. “I love you too, Damian.”

Damian looked up at him triumphantly and smiled. _Giggled_ , then went back to his bunny, Mister Nibbles. Jason just groaned teasingly, made a show of dramatically pulling away.

“Now you’re _really_ not going to leave, are you?” Jason asked, glancing at Damian to make sure he wasn’t going to throw a fit, before stepping away and pulling open the door to the hallway closet.

Dick laughed, as Jason began pulling down pillows and blankets. He glanced at Damian one more time, before staring up at Jason. At his tall frame, handsome face and curly hair.

“Jay,” He declared. “Now you couldn’t get me to leave if you tried.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other things for Nevolition’s Dad!Jason AU](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/tagged/dad%21jason+au)   
> 


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